[Rob Shauger]

My local Home and Garden SHow is coming up in a few weeks and I am always looking for new ideas for my booth.

For those of you who dont know, I also own a Lawn Care Company (Lawn Apps and PHC only) aside from my involvement with COMPASS!

I dont have access to sod or anything this time of year in CNY, nor do I really want to get into that, because I dont want to be looked at as another Landscaper. If I did that my booth would not even come close to these guys. Instead what I usually do is put up a big backdrop and I had a custom banner that velcro's onto it. I try to go with an info type booth. Last year I had posters on it from the Arborists Association and some others but nothing that really stops traffic and says WOW.

I try and always grab a booth next to a landscaper that refers us and always has a knockout booth..

I will send Jeff a picture so he can post here and maybe you guys can give me some feedback!

Thanks in advance!

[Stonehenge]

Here are some pics of the booth:

[Stonehenge]

..

[Stonehenge]

...

[dan deutekom]

The thought that I have is to bring in your truck and application equipment, park it on green artificial turf and have a manikin or two performing an application on the artificial turf. A few trees and shrubs, some of the quality products you use, good signage, a large coffee pot for free coffee and lot's brochures. A free draw for a lawn program so that you can build a list of possible clients.

[John T]

Rob, how about some large pics of the properties you service. I know I want to see the results of your services as I pass by your booth. All the text you have hanging there is not going to be read by anyone walking by. Some LARGE pics of your properties would help.

[Stonehenge]

I'm looking at the position of the chairs relative to the letters on that board - even if people were very comfortable walking all around your booth, you're asking them to read some small print from far away.

Move all the print up somewhere that they can see it and read it, and make the backdrop strictly for visual stuff.

[VoodooChile]

I'm with John T. We had a large picture that drew people over, and then we chatted them up, and plied them with brochures. I'll try and post the picture...

[Rob Shauger]

Im with you guys on the small print, and looking back on it a year later the whole thing looks cheesy. Good thing my competitors were even worse.

Dan thats a good idea, but no room in a 10x10 booth. Im thinking of starting from scratch again with nothing but the backdrop and banner. The one chair was a giveaway. It's an authentic replica of a Titanic Deck Chair.

I should have been taking pictures all these years and have not. What I do have is a picture of my house. I will see if Jeff can post a few more pics on my behalf to see if you guys think they are worthy of putting up at a display.

How big were the pictures John (Voodoo)

[VoodooChile]

The picture we used is 20"x30". I've blurred the old business name/phone number. The glossy plexi cover doesn't photo well.

I have to say that the home show generated plenty of contacts, a fair number of leads, and no sales....but I suspect that each market is different, and certain types of services sell better at home shows.

[Rob Shauger]

Nice picture. Where did you get it printe that big and about how much did it cost?

[VoodooChile]

Spiderlilly took the picture back in the days of film cameras, and had it blown up to poster size at Walgreens for $22. It worked for us because it does look pretty good and it struck some themes that our company ephasizes: 1) green, people friendly landscapes, that 2) look natural.

We do our first home/garden show in 5 years the weekend after next. Hope to have more success closing on all the contacts than the first one.

[Rob Shauger]

Thanks John. I went to Staples last night and they have a deal on %40 photo enlargement and can do some big pics there. Just a matter of how good they enlarge without getting to picsulated. Mine is next weekend. Good luck and be sure to share your results and pictures when done.

[VoodooChile]

We have a talk to give, 45 minutes, and two days to man the booth. It is a Woman's Resource Fair that looks like a good fit for our company. We definitely have to update...should be intriguing.

[Rob Shauger]

I look forward to hearing how it goes!